


Pebbles in the Water

by ellerean



Category: Free!
Genre: Gen, High Speed!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-17
Updated: 2014-01-17
Packaged: 2018-01-09 01:59:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1140103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellerean/pseuds/ellerean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>if Haru could keep secrets with Makoto, then Rin could keep secrets with Nagisa. It was part of growing up, hiding things from the people you care about.</i>
</p><p>Having the best relay team should have been the greatest time in their lives, but stupid Haru had to go and ruin everyone's fun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pebbles in the Water

**Author's Note:**

  * For [symphonyine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/symphonyine/gifts).



> I squealed a little when receiving this prompt, because precious High Speed! babies are adorable. I hope you like it ♥

They had a relay team—the best team. When Rin entered the pool area, practice had already begun. Makoto and Nagisa were hard at work, calculating their exchange and timing each other’s laps. Haru was off on his own, and Rin rushed toward his lane to watch. He wasn’t swimming any different than usual, but Rin liked to think he pushed a little harder, swam a little faster. For _him_. For their team.

Nagisa spotted him first. He was always hyperactive, overly pleased to be part of his relay team. Rin allowed himself to be pulled toward their lane; Makoto was already waving him over.

“What about Haru?” Makoto asked. The three gazed over as Haru started another lap.

“He’ll come around,” Rin replied, waving a dismissive hand. “Let’s practice!”

But the relay wasn’t right without their freestyle swimmer. Rin praised Nagisa and Makoto, urging them to practice again and again, but it was incomplete when Rin smacked the wall after his lap. Haru was still in his own little world, swimming laps on his own. Rin sighed, looking up at Makoto for help, but he, too, would only stare longingly at Haru.

“I’ll be right back,” Rin said, then ducked beneath the lane dividers to swim across the pool.

He pulled himself up, sitting on the edge of Haru’s lane. Rin didn’t mind so much watching—Haru had a special connection with the water, one that the rest of them had to work for. He swam so naturally that it looked weird when he _wasn’t_ swimming, when he was forced to walk on dry land.

“Nanase!”

Rin’s stomach flipped when Haru poked his head out of the water. He swung his legs in the water; Haru flinched when he was splashed in the face. “What do you want?”

“We’re practicing for the relay! Are you coming?”

Haru looked toward the team. He squinted through his goggles, catching the pleading looking in Makoto’s eyes even from three lanes over. He sighed. “Fine.”

It was Makoto’s silent insistence that brought Haru to their lane, the visible ease revealed when his best friend joined them. It was the least Haru could do—standing at the sidelines as Makoto slipped into the water.

Rin dragged over Coach Sasabe to time them. “So we can really concentrate on our swimming,” he said, beaming at his prized teammates.

Makoto faltered when the whistle blew; Nagisa was slower than usual. Rin did he best, pushing through the water with his butterfly, but Haru—Haru was perfect. He didn’t even have to try. Makoto had to urge Rin out of the pool long after Haru had dived in. He scrambled out, but couldn’t look away even after Haru slapped the wall.

It wasn’t their best time. But Nagisa wanted to go again. Makoto nodded in agreement. Haru remained silent, pouting a little when he got out of the pool, but stood close by as Makoto jumped in again.

They stayed until Coach kicked them out. Even after they showered and dressed, they didn’t go home. They hung around outside the swim club, chattering about the relay, the air of excitement following them wherever they went.

“This is my favorite part,” Nagisa said, gripping his swim bag tight in both hands. “Swimming with you guys is great, but this . . . it really makes us feel like a team.”

The sun was setting over the mountains, the air cool and the sky a pinkish hue. They stood in a circle, like Rin imagined they would after their victory. He laced his fingers behind his head and breathed in deep. “Yeah. The _best_ team.”

“I have to go home,” Haru said, turning away.

“Aww, c’mon, Nanase,” Rin said, grabbing his sleeve. “Hang out with us for a while.”

Haru jerked away from his grip. “Makoto, let’s go.”

Haru started to walk; Makoto cast an apologetic look before trotting after him, waving goodbye over his shoulder.

“Why does he have to be like that?” Rin muttered, watching as they broke into a run.

“Haru-chan’s just shy,” Nagisa said. Rin shoved his hands into his pockets, staring at the sidewalk until they were out of sight.

“Let’s follow them,” Rin said, grinning, and Nagisa broke into a fit of giggles. “Quietly!” he added, as they rushed to catch up.

It wasn’t hard to trail them. They hadn’t gone very far—they both stood on the bridge, staring at the river below. Rin pressed a finger to his lips and grabbed Nagisa’s shoulder, pulling him behind a bush for optimal spying. Haru and Makoto were talking quietly, but if Rin strained his ears and Nagisa kept quiet they could hear what they were saying.

“I only swim free,” Haru said, chucking a pebble over the bridge. The river was too far down, and the pebble too small, so they couldn’t hear its drop into the water.

“You _are_ swimming free,” Makoto said. “Isn’t it nice to be swimming with other people?”

Haru threw another stone into the river; this time, a faint _plop_ was heard down below. Rin carefully pushed aside a branch, trying to get a better view. But they weren’t doing anything interesting—Haru stared longing at the water, and Makoto stared pleadingly at Haru.

“He’s such a pain,” Haru said. “I wish he’d leave me alone.”

Rin bit down on his lip, trying to ignore Nagisa’s tug on his sleeve. All his talk of team work and motivation, all their practices, meant nothing to Haru. Rin understood that now. He wanted to bolt from his hiding spot and push him over the side of the bridge. He wanted to punch his stupid face. Rin clenched his hands into fists, but it was Nagisa that prevented him from acting. Nagisa hugged his arm tight, nearly cutting off his circulation. He didn’t let up until Haru and Makoto left, resuming their run back home.

“He doesn’t mean it,” Nagisa said, gripping his arm again.

“How do you know?” Rin jerked away, scrambling up to watch them disappear over the hill. “It’ll be over soon, anyway,” he muttered. “Then I won’t bother him anymore.”

“What?” Nagisa bounced in front of him, blocking the view of the empty path. “What do you mean?”

Nagisa looked up at him so worried, so piteously, that Rin almost regretted saying anything at all. He smiled, and that reassurance was enough for Nagisa to smile again, too. “Well, it won’t matter after we win, right? That’ll show him! We’ll be the best team!”

“Yeah!” Nagisa hugged him tight and Rin couldn’t help but smile, patting his head as he held back the tears.

They promised not to speak a word of their detective work. It was their little secret. And if Haru could keep secrets with Makoto, then Rin could keep secrets with Nagisa. It was part of growing up, hiding things from the people you care about. When they went their separate ways, Rin could see the bounce in Nagisa’s step as he ran home. Rin gathered a handful of pebbles, standing at the bridge a while to toss them over. Maybe, if he stood in Haru’s exact spot, doing exactly what he’d done, he could start to understand how his mind worked. But all Rin got was the faint splash of pebbles in the water and an empty, dirty hand. He imagined his pebbles down there with the ones Haru had tossed over. He imagined that one day they, too, might be as close as those stupid rocks were.

* * *

 

Rin had deliberately waited until the last moment to tell them about Australia, and it had the desired effect. Even Haru was a little downcast, though he’d looked away before Rin could fully read his expression. He didn’t seen them again until race day, their corner of the locker room heavy with nerves and adrenaline. The wounds of Haru’s words had started to heal, but he still felt that little tug whenever he glanced over while they changed. Rin knew he was a little bit of a pain, but Haru still liked him, right? Nagisa changed in record time, his flop of blond hair bouncing as he impatiently waited for them. Even Makoto had a sparkle in his eye, an excitement he couldn’t contain.

Rin hadn’t planned to tell them about his father, but there wouldn’t be another chance. They _had_ to know; they had to understand how important their team was. And they did. As they stood in the locker room, standing in a tight-knit huddle, they all radiated a sense of victory and excitement—even Haru, in his silent, brooding manner.

“Let’s go!” Nagisa shouted, throwing a fist into the air. Rin couldn’t help but laugh, trying to hold back his tears. _My team_ , he thought, beaming at each of them in succession.

“You guys go on ahead,” he said to Nagisa and Makoto. “We’ll be right there!”

Makoto hesitated, waiting for Haru to protest, but he didn’t. Nagisa grabbed Makoto’s hand, pulling him toward the pool, and Rin could swear there was just a slight nod of Haru’s head before they disappeared.

Haru turned to his locker, fiddling with the strap of his goggles before pulling them over his head. Rin cast him a wary, side-eye glance. “Haru?”

He froze, swim cap clutched in both hands. Rin took this as a silent acceptance. “I’m sorry,” he said, staring at Haru’s open locker. It held only his swim bag, his belongings tucked and hidden away inside.

“Why are you apologizing?”

“Well . . .” Rin scratched the back of his head. ”Listen, I don’t even know if you wanna do this—”

“I want to do this.” Rin’s eyes lit up before he added, “I know you were listening.”

He slumped. Was it too much to hope that his detective work hadn’t been detected, that Haru didn’t know anything? “Haru, I—”

“You _are_ a pain,” he interrupted, ignoring the tears that welled in Rin’s eyes. “But . . . thanks. I- I’m looking forward to this.”

Rin couldn’t stop himself from cheering, from pulling Haru into a side hug. When Haru didn’t jerk away he went for the full deal, wrapping both arms around his scrawny frame and squeezing the air from him.

“H-hey!” Haru cried. “Don’t suffocate me!” But Rin caught the ghost of a smile, felt the subtle shift of Haru’s body as he leaned into the hug.

“I’m so glad we met,” Rin whispered, voice muffled against Haru’s shoulder.

“Come on,” Haru said, gently pushing him away. “Let’s swim.” 

* * *

 

They buried the time capsule, just like his father’s team had. Rin looked up at the tree, the same view that team had had when they hid their own trophy beneath the dirt. But his father’s trophy had found its final resting place—their team’s would be unearthed, one day, when they were all together again.

Rin was excited to show off the photograph of his father’s relay team. Their own victory would be displayed nearby, where it was meant to be. Rin heard Nagisa’s overactive enthusiasm and Makoto’s calming chuckle, he felt Haru’s silent presence beside him. He clutched the gold medal around his neck. One day, it would be the real thing—an Olympic champion.

“When are you leaving for Australia?” Makoto asked, though he looked at Haru. “Can we come say goodbye?”

“It’ll be really early,” Rin said, but that was a lie. They could have easily gathered at his mom’s house for breakfast, crowded around the kitchen table before she drove him to the airport. But he didn’t want to say goodbye like that—he wanted it to be like this, in the swim club, where they belonged.

Rin turned away from his father’s photograph. Makoto smiled as Nagisa hugged him, and Haru . . . he was Haru, pouting silently, refusing to look at them. Rin threw an arm around his shoulders. It would be too much to pretend to kiss him again, like he had after the race, so he settled for Haru’s muffled protest when he pressed their cheeks together.

“When are we gonna dig it up?” Nagisa asked.

“We just buried it, Nagisa,” Makoto said with a laugh.

“Someday,” Rin said, holding Haru tighter. “One day when we’re all together again, just like this.”

**Author's Note:**

> Oops, I think that ending was sad. I'M SORRY.
> 
> ([Here](http://trapsandpecs.tumblr.com/post/75403627548) on tumblr.)


End file.
